by New Endurance Records from Mercedes-AMG
The Mercedes-AMG GT XX has set 25 endurance records for electric vehicles at the Nardò track, covering 24,901 miles in 7.5 days. The concept car uses three axial-flux motors and a Formula 1-inspired battery cooling system. This success confirms that future production models on the AMG.EA platform will combine high speed with long-term reliability.
Technological Features
The heart of the GT XX is three axial-flux motors, combined with a high-performance battery featuring direct cooling. This technology, as AMG states, will be used in production cars starting next year. The concept develops over 1,360 hp (1,000 kW) and is capable of maintaining triple-digit speeds for days. This is not an exaggeration—it is now a confirmed fact.
The car moved continuously around the Nardò track in Germany for 7.5 days, stopping only for charging. Mercedes brought two GT XX prototypes, which together completed 3,177 laps on the 7.87-mile (12.68 km) long track during the record attempt. In the process, they set records for the greatest distance covered by an electric vehicle in 12–168 hours and for the fastest electric vehicle to cover 2,000–40,075 km.
Key Distance Records
| Distance | Time | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| 2,000 km | 8h 40m | 1,243 miles |
| 5,000 km | 21h 55m | 3,107 miles |
| 10,000 km | 2d 23h 16m | 6,214 miles |
| 15,000 km | 4d 11h 53m | 9,321 miles |
| 20,000 km | 6d 00h 23m | 12,427 miles |
| 25,000 km | 7d 14h 10m | 15,534 miles |
| 40,075 km | 7d 13h 24m | 24,901 miles |
Inspiration and Achievement
Inspired by Jules Verne’s novel “Around the World in Eighty Days,” Mercedes has effectively surpassed that feat. 40,075 km is the distance around the Earth’s equator. The AMG GT XX covered this distance in just 7 days, 13 hours, and 24 minutes. This means that on average during this time, it was moving at a speed of 137 mph, including periods of stopping for charging.
Engineering Solutions
Of course, this was made possible by advanced engineering solutions. 850 kW charging is currently only available for concept cars, but it allowed the AMG GT XX to add 249 miles (400 km) of range in five minutes. The axial-flux motors also provide greater power density, and Mercedes used direct battery cooling inspired by Formula 1 to ensure nothing overheats. This is key, as according to Mercedes, track conditions sometimes reached 35°C (95°F). While we do not expect electric vehicles to soon compete with internal combustion engine cars in endurance racing, this is a major step in that direction.
Time-based Records
| Time | Distance (km) | Distance (miles) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 hours | 2,750 km | 1,709 miles |
| 24 hours | 5,479 km | 3,405 miles |
| 48 hours | 10,860 km | 6,750 miles |
| 72 hours | 16,250 km | 10,100 miles |
| 96 hours | 21,632 km | 13,440 miles |
| 120 hours | 26,808 km | 16,660 miles |
| 144 hours | 32,099 km | 19,950 miles |
| 168 hours | 37,260 km | 23,160 miles |
These results demonstrate how rapidly electric vehicle technology is evolving, especially in the context of endurance and charging speed. Although production models are unlikely to achieve the same performance as the concept car, the implementation of similar innovations in mass production could significantly change the electric vehicle market, making them more practical for long trips and competitions.
